1st Dalai Lama

Gedun Drupa was a highly respected figure in Tibetan history.

He lived from 1391 to 1474. While he was a great scholar and saint, he was not called the Dalai Lama during his lifetime. That spiritual title was awarded to him posthumously, which means it was given after his death. He is remembered as the first person in what would become a famous lineage of leaders. His life helped establish important religious traditions in Tibet.

Gedun Drupa's early life was very different from his later years. He was born in a cow-shed in a place called Gyurmey Rupa. This area is in the Tsang region of central Tibet. His parents, Gonpo Dorjee and Jomo Namkha Kyi, were nomadic tribespeople. As a child, he worked as a shepherd until he was seven years old. His birth name was Péma Dorjee, which means "Vajra Lotus."

His journey into religious life happened in several stages. First, he was placed in Narthang Monastery. In 1405, he took his getsul vows. A getsul is a novitiate vow, which is a first step for a monk. He took these vows from the abbot, Khenchen Drupa Sherap. Later, around 1411, he was 20 years old. He received the name Gedun Drupa when he took the vows of a bhikṣu. A bhikṣu is a fully ordained monk. At this same time, he became a student of the famous reformer Je Tsongkhapa.

Gedun Drupa held several important leadership roles in the Buddhist community. He became the first Khenpo at Ganden Monastery. A Khenpo is another word for an abbot, or a leader of a monastery. Tsongkhapa had founded Ganden Monastery in 1409. Later in his career, Gedun Drupa founded the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in Shigatse. This monastery was very significant because it later became the seat of the Panchen Lamas. He remained the Khenpo of Tashi Lhunpo until his death.

It is important to distinguish between religious leadership and political power. Gedun Drupa did not hold national political power in Tibet. During his life, power belonged to other groups. These included the Sakyas, the prince of Tsang, and the Mongolian Khagan. The Dalai Lamas did not take on national political leadership roles until much later. This change did not happen until 1642 during the reign of the 5th Dalai Lama. Gedun Drupa focused his life on scholarship and meditation.

He was a prolific writer who left behind many important texts. One famous work is "Sunlight on the Path to Freedom," which is a commentary on the Abhidharma-kosa. He also wrote an epic poem called "Crushing the Forces of Evil to Dust." This poem describes the life and deeds of Gautama Buddha. Other works include "Song of the Eastern Snow Mountain," a poem for Je Tsongkhapa. He also wrote "Praise of the Venerable Lady Khadiravani Tara." These writings helped spread his teachings.

Many legends surround his legacy and the lineage of the Dalai Lamas. Tradition says that a female guardian spirit named Palden Lhamo made a promise. This spirit is associated with the sacred lake, Lhamo Latso. In a vision, she promised to protect the reincarnation lineage of the Dalai Lamas. A reincarnation lineage is a belief that a person's spirit returns in a new life. Since the time of Gedun Gyatso, monks have meditated at the lake to seek guidance. They do this when they are looking for the next reincarnation.

Gedun Drupa died in 1474 while he was meditating. He was 84 years old by Western reckoning. His life connected many different people and ideas in Tibet. He lived at the same time as the Samding Dorje Phagmo, who was a high female incarnation. He also studied under the teacher Bodongpa Panchen Chogley Namgyal. Through his work and his monasteries, his influence lasted long after his death.